Why Is Lance Armstrong Banned
Should Lance Armstrong be prohibited from participating in International Sports?
Nike Tolentino
Lance Armstrong was not only a renowned cyclist but he was considered one of the all time greats in sport. That was until he was found to have used performance enhancing drugs during his career as a professional cyclist. Lance received a life ban and this has caused controversy because some believe that the penalty is too harsh? I am in the opinion that the penalty Lance received is justified and that he should be banned from participating in organised international sports for life.
Lance Armstrong won many cycling titles but he is most famous for his 7 consecutive Tour de France wins from 1999 to 2005. In 1996 Lance was diagnosed with cancer and underwent radical treatment which saw …show more content…
him fight and beat the disease. In 1997 Lance founded the Livestrong Foundation which provides support to those who have been affected by cancer. In 1999 Armstrong won his first Tour de France title and his story of surviving cancer, beating the odds and becoming a champion was an inspiration to many. However, this legacy has now been tarnished by Lance and Lance alone, who has admitted to using performance enhancing drugs during his career as a professional cyclist.
Performance enhancing drugs are a common problem in the sporting world, with some athletes resorting to the use of these substances to get ahead and improve their performance.
The sporting body has banned the use of these drugs not only to be fair to other athletes but also to protect athletes from the harmful effects that performance enhancing drugs have. With the improvements in the detection of banned substances the sporting world is able to fight against its use. Throughout his career, Lance has fought allegations of use of performance enhancing drugs and continually denied that he doped. In 2011-2012 the United States Anti-Doping Agency accused Lance of trafficking drugs and doping. This was based on Lance’s blood samples taken in 2009 and 2010 and also from testimonials from witnesses, including his former teammates, who claimed he doped most of his career, including during the 7 Tour de France titles. After choosing not to fight the allegations Armstrong was given a Life ban. Lance finally did an interview with Oprah Winfrey and publically admitted to doping. Lance not only spent years lying to himself but he was lying to the sport, lying to the world and lying to his
fans.
The United States Anti-doping Agency compiled a 200 page report on Lance Armstrong’s use and distribution of performance enhancing drugs. The mountain of evidence included results from blood tests and testimonials by witnesses. These testimonials included those from former teammates from the US postal team who have now also admitted to taking banned substances. In the report it states that “It was not enough that his teammates give maximum effort on the bike, he also required that they adhere to the doping program outlined for them or be replaced” (taken from Wall Street Journal, October 11, 2012). One of Lance’s former teammates, Levi Leipheimer claims that his contract with Armstrong’s Radio Shack team was not renewed because he had testified in the federal investigation. During Lance’s interview with Oprah he confessed to bullying others who looked to expose the truth about his doping and although he apologised for his behavior, I believe that his sincerity is only a result of being caught, otherwise he would have continued to live this lie.
I have little sympathy for the situation Lance Armstrong has put himself in. During his career, as he denied doping allegations, he hurt others in the processes. He bullied and publically humiliated people who spoke of his drug use. Lance took away cycling titles from true champions who competed clean. The deception of his fake identity is the ultimate betrayal to fans who admired him. He tarnished the name of his own foundation, the sport and name of those who sponsored him. He continued to lie in order to keep up the act and I believe he is more sorry for being caught than sorry for what he has done. So is a life ban from international sports justified? Definitely because it was not a one off case of poor judgement on his behalf, it was a career of lies and deception. The life ban sends an important message to other athletes that “doping will not be tolerated”.
Nike Tolentino
Lance Armstrong was not only a renowned cyclist but he was considered one of the all time greats in sport. That was until he was found to have used performance enhancing drugs during his career as a professional cyclist. Lance received a life ban and this has caused controversy because some believe that the penalty is too harsh? I am in the opinion that the penalty Lance received is justified and that he should be banned from participating in organised international sports for life.
Lance Armstrong won many cycling titles but he is most famous for his 7 consecutive Tour de France wins from 1999 to 2005. In 1996 Lance was diagnosed with cancer and underwent radical treatment which saw …show more content…
him fight and beat the disease. In 1997 Lance founded the Livestrong Foundation which provides support to those who have been affected by cancer. In 1999 Armstrong won his first Tour de France title and his story of surviving cancer, beating the odds and becoming a champion was an inspiration to many. However, this legacy has now been tarnished by Lance and Lance alone, who has admitted to using performance enhancing drugs during his career as a professional cyclist.
Performance enhancing drugs are a common problem in the sporting world, with some athletes resorting to the use of these substances to get ahead and improve their performance.
The sporting body has banned the use of these drugs not only to be fair to other athletes but also to protect athletes from the harmful effects that performance enhancing drugs have. With the improvements in the detection of banned substances the sporting world is able to fight against its use. Throughout his career, Lance has fought allegations of use of performance enhancing drugs and continually denied that he doped. In 2011-2012 the United States Anti-Doping Agency accused Lance of trafficking drugs and doping. This was based on Lance’s blood samples taken in 2009 and 2010 and also from testimonials from witnesses, including his former teammates, who claimed he doped most of his career, including during the 7 Tour de France titles. After choosing not to fight the allegations Armstrong was given a Life ban. Lance finally did an interview with Oprah Winfrey and publically admitted to doping. Lance not only spent years lying to himself but he was lying to the sport, lying to the world and lying to his
fans.
The United States Anti-doping Agency compiled a 200 page report on Lance Armstrong’s use and distribution of performance enhancing drugs. The mountain of evidence included results from blood tests and testimonials by witnesses. These testimonials included those from former teammates from the US postal team who have now also admitted to taking banned substances. In the report it states that “It was not enough that his teammates give maximum effort on the bike, he also required that they adhere to the doping program outlined for them or be replaced” (taken from Wall Street Journal, October 11, 2012). One of Lance’s former teammates, Levi Leipheimer claims that his contract with Armstrong’s Radio Shack team was not renewed because he had testified in the federal investigation. During Lance’s interview with Oprah he confessed to bullying others who looked to expose the truth about his doping and although he apologised for his behavior, I believe that his sincerity is only a result of being caught, otherwise he would have continued to live this lie.
I have little sympathy for the situation Lance Armstrong has put himself in. During his career, as he denied doping allegations, he hurt others in the processes. He bullied and publically humiliated people who spoke of his drug use. Lance took away cycling titles from true champions who competed clean. The deception of his fake identity is the ultimate betrayal to fans who admired him. He tarnished the name of his own foundation, the sport and name of those who sponsored him. He continued to lie in order to keep up the act and I believe he is more sorry for being caught than sorry for what he has done. So is a life ban from international sports justified? Definitely because it was not a one off case of poor judgement on his behalf, it was a career of lies and deception. The life ban sends an important message to other athletes that “doping will not be tolerated”.